September 16, 2012

Midwest legal market

by dan rodriguez

“Back to the Land” is how the National Law Journal puts it. Well, not exactly “Grapes of Wrath” here, but a more intriguing theme, which is the interesting perspective in these articles on the patterns and practices in the Midwest legal market. We at Northwestern Law are proudly part of the Midwest — America’s heartland, squarely embedded in Chicago, the quintessential American city. Elsewhere in the Midwest are extraordinary opportunities for professional success and personal fulfillment.

Notice the chart at the end of the post which describes the large cohort of Midwest, non-Chicago law firms. These firms are, if I may say so, highly interested in our terrific students. Given the conditions of the American legal employment market, it is important to think constructively about promising opportunities in our nation’s great midwest. I say this with care. Our students — highly talented, competitive, and ambitious — should pursue emplohyment opportunities where they desire. Our students compete well with students of other law schools in every major job market in the U.S. But we are responsible only if we help counsel our students to maximize their options; and I am committed, as dean, to advance the interest of our law school wherever that interest lies. To that end, I am anxious, as is our able Career Strategy office, to enhance opportunities in the key cities of the midwest — all of the cities.